SVSACS Members Meetings Minutes
Friday, September 11, 2009
Call to Order
Lorna Gibbs, Chair, called to order the regular meeting of the Southeast Vancouver Seniors' Arts & Cultural Society (SVSACS) at 10:12 a.m. on Friday, September 11, 2009 at Champlain Heights Community Centre.
Attendance
The following members were present:
Lorna Gibbs, Kym Dosen, Joan Wright, Lorie Parkes, Manfred Hagen, Bert Massiah, Kamlesh Sethi, Philip Mah, Tom Chin
Staff: Brian Swartz, Ashley Beattie, Jukka Vuorma
Regrets: Pat Fenner, Demetrio Avendano, Cyndy Chwelos (Moberley Arts Centre)
Approval of September 11 Agenda
Joan Wright made a motion to approve the agenda. Seconded by Manfred Hagen. Carried.
Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Bert Massiah made a motion to approve minutes as amended (correct spelling of Demi's name and adjournment time) the June 12 Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Manfred Hagen. Carried.
Correspondence
Correspondence folder was circulated.
Old Business
Discussion about The Red Book was tabled until the next meeting. Update on the status of charitable number was unavailable.
Reports: Lorna Gibbs
I met with Demi and Tom Avendano (founder of Filipino Helping Hand House) to discuss getting a seniors' facility built. Tom felt to get attention we needed architect's drawings to put before potential funding contributors. I agreed, but we are still awaiting tax receipt status and business licence. We are dealing with a site owned by the City, and the Park Board prefers to use their own union staff for construction, and select their own architects.
I met with Federal Government District Representative, Colin Metcalfe to solicit support for the seniors' facility in Southeast Vancouver. He said the federal government could support the project by contributing 30 to 50 per cent of the cost when the City and the Province come up with their share of the funding and requested assistance. We were advised to go back to municipal and provincial representatives, to encourage them to come forward with financial support, and then contact him for federal participation. This has been done. Councillor Louie has assured us that the City will make money available for the project upon completion of a feasibility study. A meeting with Solicitor General Kash Heed's constituency assistant, Keith Frew has been booked. We now look to our new Minister, Kash Heed to complete the work.
Two meetings were held with the Mayor and Councillor Raymond Louie. They, along with the Park Board Chair and Commissioners continue to offer encouragement. Terms of reference for a feasibility study is being prepared, and it is hoped that the Killarney Community Centre will fund this study.
At the meeting with the Solicitor General, Kash Heed gave us his reassurance that he was definitely on-side, and that he would request a meeting with the Mayor to further the project.
Sandra Thomas (Vancouver Courier) has written a piece on the malnourished seniors living in the South Granville area. I thanked her for that and suggested that perhaps conditions were even more severe in the Victoria-Fraserview/Killarney area where we live.
We received a letter from New Horizons Grant saying that our request for funding for a historical cookbook was being considered. The letter is in the correspondence folder.
Joan Wright (South Vancouver Neighbourhood House) and I visited the Bonsor Recreation Complex on the day of the pipe-bomb incident, and we were turned away. We rescheduled, and we interviewed the head programmer of the seniors centre and went on a tour of the facility. WOW! They have so much to offer their older citizens. Bonsor has roughly the same number of senior registrants as Killarney has, but have three full-time programmers. Dances with live bands are offered once or twice weekly from Spring through Fall. We were most impressed with the programming. There is a coffee and snack bar, but regular meals are only offered at the other two community centres: Edmonds and Confederation. Their banquet facility (Great Hall) seats 300 people and boasts a stage as well.
Keith Jacobson and I again toured the Kerrisdale seniors facility, and I was treated to a splendid lunch. The seniors' programmer, Susan Mele offered advice, and gave us a copy of their floor plan and operating budget. It appears most seniors' facilities require a subsidy from their host community association, and Kerrisdale is no exception. We at SVSACS still hope that, along with partnerships, our seniors' centre can be an exception, and maybe even generate a profit.
The PayPal button is working, and we are able to receive donations via our website at svsacs.org. The only donation that I am aware of was made by my niece, but I'm hoping that each one of us may feel inclined to make a contribution just to try it out! It's safe and secure.
SVSACS programmers, Lorie Parkes, Kym Dosen, Kamlesh Sethi and their volunteers have done a great job programming for SVSACS at the Champlain Heights and Killarney Community Centres, and South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. Programming will be expanding to Sunset. Reports and statistics are being prepared.
Farhad Mawani has been transferred to the Canada Line Project. We will all feel this loss. No replacement from the City Community Planning division has been assigned to date, but we are hoping to hear more soon. Also, Bev Chew has been assigned to Mount Pleasant.
Ashley Beattie (Adult and Senior Programmer for Killarney Community Centre) has been a stalwart supporter of SVSACS. She has worked hard promoting the South Van seniors centre project. Her management skills and leadership qualities will be sorely missed. We wish you all the best, Ashley. Please send us photos of you and the little one once she arrives.
We're glad to have Lorie back after her struggles with a series of misadventures this summer, while still getting our Minutes and Agenda out. Other members who are having some health issues are Demi Avendano, Philip Mah and Helen Pawluk. We wish them well and hope for a speedy recovery. Thanks to all of you for your participation.
Programming
SVSACS Coffee Houses are starting up at Champlain Community Centre only for September. The movie, Mamma Mia is being screened. Coffee, tea and nibbles have been taken care of.
Collingwood Community Policing is unable to screen Sunset movies as outside of their area. We will contact community policing offices in the area to promote SVSACS, and solicit their interest/involvement. Sunset Community Centre will check into movie licences and applicable equipment for screening movies.
Killarney and Sunset coffee houses to start up in October. Killarney will be first Monday in October, then second Monday in November and December. Sunset may be the second Friday starting in November (to be confirmed).
Three bus trips have been organized by SVSACS using the Champlain Heights bus: A September trip to the Bloedel Conservatory; an October trip to Charlie's Chocolate Factory; and a November trip to the Circle Craft Christmas Fair.
We received a $500 grant from the Neighbourhood Small Grant Society. Ashley will check to see if there is a room available at Killarney Community Centre to run the art program. Artist, Philip Steven will be producing a small memory book. Information has been circulated.
SVSACS did not qualify for grant money from the Vancouver Foundation.
We received a letter from Service Canada regarding the grant we applied for. They will notify us within five months after our application. (We applied in June.)
Seniors Living Magazine is interested in writing an article about active seniors in Southeast Vancouver. They are looking for volunteers to interview.
Due to lack of volunteers, we have had to cancel our participation in the Avalon Dairy Festival. I will do up a festival list in advance for 2010.
I have money from two donations that I want to deposit: proceeds from Strawberry Tea; and grant monies (Will discuss possible separate account for grants with the Treasurer.)
Discussion about a membership drive. Tabled.
Other Discussion
The Champlain bus has been breaking down. We are looking into the procedure for requesting use of Killarney bus, if needed.
South Vancouver Neighbourhood House has sent invitations to their Fall Program Kick-Off Barbeque, which includes a presentation of certificates and a $50 donation to a Tanzania orphanage made in Farhad Mawani's name. Farhad's work for SVSACS has extended far beyond the call of duty. He has devoted many personal hours preparing for our B.C. 150 Gala of International Music & Dance, as well as our community Earth Day event.
Kamlesh Sethi invited SVSACS to set up an information table outside the door at the Diwali festival at South Vancouver Neighbourhood House on Thursday, October 15 (1:30 to 3:30 p.m.).
Illnesses: Helen Pawluk, Philip Mah and Demi Avendano.
Next Meeting
The next SVSACS meeting will be on Friday, October 9 at 10 a.m., Champlain Heights Communty Centre. Please send agenda items for the October meeting to Lorie.
Adjournment
Joan Wrights made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:25 a.m. Seconded by Bert Massiah. Carried.
Minutes submitted by: Lorie Parkes, SVSACS Secretary.
